He lives in Wroclaw, likes kaszanka and makes great promotion to one of the popular local bars. Jim Williams told us about his performances, his favorite places in Lower Silesia's capital city, if clown is a funny person, and what you shouldn’t know about Polish traditional food.
 
 
Jim Williams is mostly known because of his performances and stan-up in Mleczarania. Most of Wroclaw’s foreigners often choose to meet there to watch and listen to his shows. Jim is a comic, a mime, an actor, and also a clown. You could have met him in a Polish talent show „Mam talent” of 2010. He has been living in Wroclaw for 7 years, and he has a family here, so he’s a part of Poland now.
 
Did You know that together with his wife he created with an unusual team called Liquidmime? They gave many artistic shows. Apart form his art performances, Jim had also a different kind of job –  as an English language teacher – a very tough role.
 
Jim Williams talks about Wroclaw’s entertainment, Polish food and funny words – in a special interview with the Renting Zone team.
 

What is it like to be a cheerful man in a sad country? Are Poles  just complainers?

– I'm a cheerful man?! Listen to my stand-up. All I do is complain, but I try to make it funny by laughing at myself and at the situations. Maybe that's why people like my comedy out here.
 

Maybe you're right – we love that kind of jokes. Anyway, you are working in Poland, you married a Polish woman... but tell us, what made you come to Wroclaw?

– When I first saw the word Wroclaw, I just saw "Claw", as in a cat's claw, and thought that was cool. Roh-CLAW. I was like "That has to be a cool place". It turns out Wroclaw is pretty awesome, even though you don't say "claw".
 
There are plenty of differences between Poland and the U.S, but maybe we have something in common?
Yes, what we have in common are Polish people. Polish people came to the U.S. and helped to build the U.S. I'm partly Polish (and generally of Eastern European descent), and now I live here, so Poland and the U.S. have ME in common. You're welcome.
 

Do you remember your first show in Wroclaw? How was it?

– It probably wasn't the FIRST first show, but the very first Liquidmime show was in the  culture house in Biskupin. That was my first solo show in any form and it was magical.
 
You entertain people. But what are your entertainments in Wroclaw? Did you have any funny adventures which you would like to share?
My entertainment? Grabbing a beer with a friend in Rynek. Any of the bars, all of the bars, I just love Rynek. And the cafe attached to the puppet theater. That place is amazing. Cool place to take the kids while I grab a beer... I mean coffee with a friend.

 
Shows in Mleczarnia – most people know you from here. How is it start?

– I have a love affair with Mleczarnia. It was the first bar/cafe I went to, the first time I visited Poland. I loved the atmosphere, the furniture, the basement... It's always been my favorite.
When I first moved here, I did a one-time performance with a friend of mine from Canada who was visiting. We did a mish-mash of all the things we knew how to do; impro, sketches, mime, sound effects... and we did it in Mleczarnia. That was a great show. Then years later I started performing at Antykabaret in Mleczarnia, and eventually took my stand-up shows there because that space is just so awesome.


You were performing with Poliż stand-up group. Probably you have met Kacper Ruciński. How do Poles  deal with stand-up? Or is it a rather American specialization?

– I know Kacper. He teases me that it's obvious I'm good at stand-up because I'm American, but for me is's like saying if I was black I'd obviously be good at basketball. I tease him that I beat him in the PAKA kabaret competition back in 2010... Then I remembered that he's the HOST of Tylko dla Doroslych and I just made appearances there, so I just say "szacun".

Stand-up in Poland is getting very popular, very fast. If audiences are laughing, the comedians must be doing something right. Simple as that. And there are definitely guys and ladies who are becoming quick masters of the form.
 

Polish language may be funny for a foreigner. Funny word is for instance „garmażerka” (you favorite fish jello is an excellent example of this). Which Polish word makes you laugh?

– "Przedrzeźniać". It's just a ridiculous word. It was one of the first Polish words I learned: "To mock".

 

   
Polish food is an easy love or maybe not? What is your favorite polish dish? Do you have a favorite restaurant you would recommend to other foreigners?

– It's hard to pick a favorite. I seriously like most polish food. Even kaszanka. I just try not to think about what it's made of. See, that's the trick. If you want your foreign friends to try Polish food, don't tell them what it is. I knew what flaki was before I tried it and now I hate it. I tried kaszanka first and then someone told me what it was, and I still love it.

 
Do you have a favorite place in Wroclaw? Where do you meet with your friends, where do you rest, where you are having fun?

– Hahahaha!!!! Rest! Where do I rest... you're funny. It probably sounds like Mleczarnia is paying me lots of money to promote them, but I really like hanging out there, doing some writing, having a beer with friends, going to a concert. My German buddy and I are trying to sample all the different hamburger restaurants in Wroclaw. I can recommend Sztrass Burger. Like I said, I have kids so I don't get out much, but I make up for it by working and doing shows in bars and clubs like Mleczarnia, Bezsennosc, and Niebo.
 


If You don’t know Jim Williams, change it immediately here: Famous Jim Williams.
 

 

Authors: Katarzyna Bugryn & Adrian Krawczyk